Category: Uncategorized
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Kayaking Freshwater Bay
Chalky pale cliffs overlook a grey flint and pebble beach. Ahead, you squint in the summer heat at a 19th century fort balancing precipitously on the edge of a headland. You turn towards the series of caves set within the recesses of a wind-battered coastline where the seawater washes up into their yawning mouths. The… Read more
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Wolf conservation efforts start with public education, but is it enough?
Wolves share a long and enduring history with humans having been wiped out from vast areas across the globe by excessive hunting practices and habitat destruction. Largely spurred by false narratives surrounding the dangers of these apex predators, coupled with attacks on livestock, the “big bad wolf” occupies the centre of many social, cultural and… Read more
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Protection of raptors involves collaboration across borders
You may have spotted raptors while driving your car along a country road. Maybe a kestrel hovering over the barren hillside or a silent blur of a barn owl under the treeline flitting across the glare of your headlights at night. Merriam-Webster defines raptors as “a carnivorous medium- to large-sized bird that has a hooked… Read more
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Himalayan wolf: an elusive predator with mysterious roots needs protection
The Himalayan Plateau–a rocky, barren, sandy-brown landscape of steep highlands and dizzying mountain peaks might appear desolate and devoid of activity, as life at 4000m above sea level faces razor-thin oxygen levels. But some ecosystems endure and abound in such harsh settings, with sparsely populated peoples living a remote coexistence with a unique plethora of… Read more
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Journey to a ruined monument
It began when I stumbled on photos online of a ruined monument on the outskirts of a quiet hamlet a 20 minute train ride out of the city. The desecrated tower of Rackton Folly looks forlornly over the treeline, yellow corn fields and distant cobalt waters of the Solent, astride the gentle hills of West… Read more
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Kayaking on the Thames
While England has ample kayaking opportunities along its popular beaches and rugged chalky clifflines, enduring coves, bays and estuaries, I must admit, I wasn’t taken to any expeditions on the Thames due to its busy waterways. My adventures in kayaking usually find me around the warm summer coasts of the Isle of Wight where the… Read more